Expanding mill



0. F. OLSON EXPANDING MILL July 25, 1933.

Filed Aug. 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l fizz/09241222 0/. OF A OL60/V,

ZWQ M 0. F. OLSON EXPANDING MILL July 25, 1933.

Filed Aug. 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M- haven/Z07": 04 or F. OLSON,

July 25, 1933.

o. F. OLSON 1,919,390

EXPANbING' MILL Filed Aug. 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 bwenior: 040/ f7 OLSON, M v,

Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

0110B 1. OLSON, OF GARY, INDIANA, ASSIGHOR '10 NATIONAL TUBE CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY DING HILL Application filed August 28, 1931. Serial No. 560,001.

This invention relates to seamless tube mills, and more particularly to expanding mills, and has for one of its objects the provision of a novel mill construction in which a light weight plug-bar is provided and arranged so as to be under tension when m use.

Another object is to provide a mill of this type, in which a single plug-bar may be used fo il all sizes of plugs within the range of the m1 Another object is to provide a mill'construction in which, due to the plug-bar being under tension instead of compresslon, the bars will be self-supporting, and the usual bar supports used with compression bars may be eliminated.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and 1" in combination show a plan of an expanding mill constructed in accordance with this invention, said plan being divided on the line X-' X.

Figures 2 and 2" in combination show 9. Ion 'tudinal sectional elevation through the rpi said elevation being divided onthe line Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the plug bar thrust-block.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the expanding plug cooling bosh.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates an expanding mill as 'a whole, which is of usual and well known construction and consists generally of adjustable housings 2 and 3, in which are journaled the disk-like expanding rolls 4 and 5, respectively. An iii-going trough or conveyer B is provided on the in-going side ofthe mill A, and an out-going trough or conveyer C is provided on the outoing side of the mill; The troughs B am? 0 are provided with conveyer rollers 6, as is usual.

Suitable supporting rails] are arranged to the rear of the in-gomg trough and form a support for a thrust-block 8 which is mounted to travel in a direction towards and away from the mill on the rails 7. The block'S is connected by a cable 9 to a suitable operating drum 10 in the usual manner to'provide for moving the thrust block on the rails 7 An expanding plug-bar 12 is joumaled in the thrust-block 8. The thrust-block 8 is of well lmown'construction and consists of the usual bearing sleeve 14 which is provided with a plurality of spaced bearing rings '15 and a bearing spindle member 16 havmg a plurality of bearing rings 17 thereon adapted to fit between the bearing rings 15 and to cooperate therewith. The spindle 16 has an end 18 to which the plug-bar 12 is secured.

The plug-bar 12 is of materially lesser diameter than the plug-bars heretofore generally used, due to the fact that it is at all times under tension instead of compression, and, therefore, a ligiliter bar may be used without danger of buc ing or whipping while it is being operated. The bar 12 is provided with water inlet and outlet conduits 20 and 21, respectively, which provide for the circulation of cooling water therethrough. The forward end of the bar 12 is adapted to receive an expanding plug 23, which will be locked in osition by a collar or c amp 24.

plug cooling bosh 25 is provided immediately forward of the mill A which is positioned between the mill and the out-going trough C. The bosh 25 is provided with a vertically movable plug support 26 which is adapted to receive the plug after a tube has passed thereover and the vplug is removed from the bar 12. The support 26 is adapted to be lowered into the bosh 25 to cool the plug while another tube is being positioned on the in-going trough and the plug-bar is moved through the tube. When the plug-bar has been passed through the tube the plug support 26' will be raised and the plug again mounted on the bar in readiness to expand the next tube.

. While I have shown one specific form of bosh 25 and support26'it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since any suitable'bosh and plug support maybe substituted therefor.

A housing 27 is provided at the rear of the in going trough B and carries a pivoted latch member 28 adapted to engage a shoulder 29 onthe thrust-block 8. A fluid pressure cylinder'30 is mounted on the housing 27 and has its piston connected to the latch 28 to raise and lower said latch. When the bar being 12 has been positioned so as to press the plug in the mill in expanding position the latch 28 is adapted to be lowered so as to engage the shoulder29 and lock the thrust-block 8 and the bar 12 against movement towards the mill In operation, when the parts are assembled as shown in the drawingsand the mill A is started, the rolls 4 and 5 will engage the tube to be expanded and force said tube over the plug 23, thus creating a pull or tensionon the bar 12.

Since the bar 12 will always be under tension while a tube is being operated upon, the

tendency to whip and vibrate is reduced to a minimum and, therefore, the many bar supports heretofore necessary when compression bars have been used are not necessary, and are eliminated. I

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I-do not wish to be limited thereto since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims; as, for instance, various forms of plug cooling parts and vertically movable plug supports maybe substituted for that shown and any of the well known forms of thrustblocks may substitutedfor the specific design shown. A

I claim: 7

1. The combination with a tube expand-l ing mill having an in-going trough and an out-going trough on the opposite sides thereof, of an expanding plug-bar thrust-block mounted on railsto the rear of said in-going trough'for movement towardsand away from said mill, a plugbar journaled in and supported by saidthrust-block, a plug-bosh and vertically movable plug support on the outgoing side of said mill between said out-going trough and said mill, an expanding plug adapted to be removably secured to said bar and to be carried by said plug support when detached from said bar, means for moving said thrust-block towards and away from said to move said bar through a tube in said in-going trough, and means for locking said block in position to locate said plug between the rolls of said mill.

2. The combination with a tube expanding mill having an in-going trou h and an outgoing trough on the opposite s1des thereof, of an expanding plug-bar thrust-block mounted on rails to the rear of said in-going trough for movement towards and away from said mill, a plug-bar journaled in and supported by said thrust-block, a plug-bosh and vertically movable plug support on the out-going side of said mill between the out-going trough and said mill, an expanding plug adapted to be removably secured to said bar and to be carried by said plug support when detached from said bar, means for moving said thrustblock towards and away from said mill to move said bar through a tube on said in-going trough, a rigid housin mounted to the rear of said in-going troug a latch carried by said housing and a fluid pressure cylinder for moving sald latch into engagement with .said thrust-block to lock said block in position to locate said plug in said mill.

3. The combination with a tube expanding 1 mill having an in-going trough and an out-- going trough on the opposite sides thereof,

-of an expanding plug-bar thrust-block mounted to the rear of said in-going trough for I thrust-block in position to locate said plug between the rolls of said mill.

OLOF F. OLSON. 

